DS Penske’s Deputy Team Principal and Team President, Phil Charles, recently spoke to When sat across from Phil Charles, the overwhelming characteristic that the new DS Penske Deputy Team Principal conveys is excitement. Excitement for a type of motorsport in which he is highly-regarded, a fresh challenge which is clearly being enjoyed, and for the effort that he puts in, particularly when he derives satisfaction from the results he achieves.
Charles joined Penske early in Season 10, having left Jaguar TCS Racing in the off-season, and while he has not been in the position for long, it seems that Charles’ impact has already been felt, with the team steadily improving, with impressive speed on display in Misano, and most recently, Stoffel Vandoorne securing third place in Monaco, with teammate Jean-Éric Vergne just behind in fourth place. Charles explains the progress made so far and the initial stages of enhancing the car.
“I joined in February so I haven’t had long,” he says.
“And what you have to do early on is just assess what’s going on – you can’t have a complete understanding of what we have and what we don’t have on day one, so my initial task has been to try and evaluate our resources, there are a few easy opportunities that you come across, and throughout my years in F1 and Formula E, that’s something that simplifies things a bit.
“So, there are a couple of those, but overall it’s just been gradually immersing myself in comprehending what we possess and what we lack, and we’re very fortunate to have a lot of talented individuals, but the championship has undergone significant changes in recent years, it has experienced rapid improvement, so we’re just trying to grasp the current state of affairs and then I’ll make the next moves in the upcoming months.
“But overall, we have some really skilled individuals, so we have all the necessary foundations.
“It’s just a matter of keeping up with the competition and tracking the progress of the championship as everyone develops and moves forward.”
After departing from the then-Toro Rosso Formula One team, Charles transitioned into Formula E with Jaguar, taking the team from the bottom of the standings to the brink of world titles, with its powertrain customer Envision Racing winning the Teams’ Championship 2023. Charles states that the feeling of taking Jaguar as far as possible, as well as the appeal of a new challenge, prompted the move.
“As always, it’s not just one thing.
“I’m very proud of what I accomplished over the six years – I went from last in the championship to first and second with the two Jaguar cars – the customer team [Envision] and the main team – so I felt like I’ve been on a consistently positive trajectory and I really enjoyed the continuous improvement, but we reached the peak.
“And then Jay Penske called me up and, to be honest, in the first ten minutes of the call, it was very clear what he wanted to achieve.
“He participates in racing because he loves it, he doesn’t have to promote beverages or cars or anything like that – he races because he wants to and he wants to win, and that’s everything I believe in.
“I enjoy elevating teams, I love reaching the point of winning races and he mentioned all the right things for me, and on top of that, I work with Jev, I’m really pleased to work with Stoffel and I can see there’s a great group of people here, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to start fresh and achieve similar results.
“I really enjoyed the Jaguar process and this isn’t a complete step back because we were starting from a very early point in their development, this is a talented group of people but there’s a chance to take the next steps and achieve good results.”
Does Charles have the added advantage of having Vergne and Vandoorne – both Formula E Drivers’ Champions – as the drivers of the cars?
“That always makes a huge difference and having both world champions here is a major asset for the team.
“On the challenging days, they provide valuable feedback on where we need to improve, sometimes when you have a rookie driver they haven’t experienced it, so on the challenging days you receive clear and insightful feedback, and then on the good days when the car is performing well, both of these two can secure race wins for you, so they’re great to have.
“Throughout my career, I have thoroughly enjoyed working closely with the drivers and being involved in creating a package around them is crucial.
“In motorsport, we have so many exceptional engineers, but the ones who truly achieve remarkable results are the ones who collaborate effectively as a group and integrate their innovative technology and ideas around the driver, so that’s a key aspect of the game.”
One of the common labels that Charles receives is being referred to as Formula E’s equivalent to Adrian Newey, arguably the most accomplished technical figure in the history of Formula One. Charles smiles modestly. While he appreciates the compliment, he remains level-headed and humble about it.
“Yeah, it’s truly wonderful and it’s especially great when my family reads that. It means more to them than it does to me. So, no, it’s a fantastic thing for people to say. I’d like to think that, as people have mentioned in my recent history, I’m doing really well.
“It’s the result of years and years of hard work and understanding. I’ve been incredibly fortunate in my early days in Formula One. I had the opportunity to work in various positions within a Formula One team, which allowed me to learn a great deal. I was a mechanic for a while, involved in research and development, and spent a long time as a designer. In recent years, I’ve developed a passion for aerodynamics in F1 and now power training in Formula E. So, I consider myself lucky to have a diverse skill set. While I may not be a master in any one particular area, I thoroughly enjoy working with tires and power training. Bringing all these elements together, especially in collaboration with the driver, is what I find most enjoyable.
“So yes, I’m pleased when people say that, but it’s ultimately about the work you put in over time.”
A major topic of discussion in recent weeks has been the potential inclusion of more purpose-built circuits in the Formula E calendar. Misano has already hosted a double-header weekend this season, and there have been rumors of a potential switch to Silverstone for the British race venue. Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, has emphasized the importance of maintaining the championship’s DNA while considering the possibility of adding one or two tracks like Misano. I’m eager to hear Charles’ perspective on this matter, both from a personal standpoint and from a technical viewpoint.
“So, from a technical standpoint, when you design a race car, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of the type of track it will be racing on. It’s not necessarily about having an opinion, although you may have one, but rather about having a clear vision.
“When setting up and designing a car, there are different suspension characteristics to consider, as well as the allocation of resources between the suspension and powertrain. The way we handle tires also varies significantly between a street circuit and a larger open track.
“So, from a technical perspective, it’s not that we don’t care, because we do, but knowing the type of track we’re designing for is essential. Now, if it turns out that it’s going to be a 50-50 split between two different types of tracks, assuming there are distinct differences, even though they may overlap to some extent, that presents another challenge. We have to account for a wide range of conditions, and that’s an intriguing technical question.
“First and foremost, from a technical standpoint, I wouldn’t say that I don’t have an opinion. However, if we momentarily consider that I don’t, I find it quite fascinating that we have to adapt our design to different types of tracks. Do I need to prepare for a Silverstone-like circuit? Or do I need to cater to a tight and twisty track in London or Rome?
“That’s an incredibly interesting technical question, and I enjoy grappling with it. It’s about determining the best overall characteristics to aim for in the car. Nowadays, a lot of simulation is involved in this process, taking into account the various tracks and determining the best overall result for the season. Based on the simulation, we then prioritize certain parameters. It’s an intriguing aspect.
“As for my personal view and opinion, I think Jeff has probably struck the right balance. For the sake of the championship, it makes sense to have a mix of both types of tracks. I understand the perspectives of others as well. Street tracks are ingrained in Formula E’s DNA. They provide an incredible amount of fun and pose a significant challenge, both for the drivers facing tight and twisty sections and for our championship as a whole.
“I wouldn’t want to completely abandon the essence of street tracks. However, I believe we have successfully expanded the championship into cities, and it’s nice to have a blend where we have a race track located near a city with excellent facilities. It allows us to bring our sponsors to the venue, providing them with a great view overlooking the track. So, there’s a clear reason for wanting a mix of both types of tracks, and that’s where I stand.”
Regardless of the direction Formula E takes, DS Penske is in capable hands with Charles leading the technical side. It would be unwise to underestimate the team’s potential for further progress. With GEN3 Evo on the horizon for next season, we can expect to see them challenging consistently in the near future.